A Croydon thug who pulled out a huge zombie knife and used it to try and smash the driver's window of a car on a busy Croydon street "probably knew the driver".

Joshua Gardner, who was 17 at the time of the incident but has since turned 18, was found guilty of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent in relation to the incident, at the Old Bailey last Wednesday (November 21).

He had previously pleaded guilty to affray and being in possession of an offensive weapon.

Gardner, from London Road in Thornton Heath, was due to be sentenced at the Old Bailey on Monday afternoon (November 26) but the hearing was adjourned until Tuesday (November 27) so a probation officer could speak to him and his mum to help the judge decide what sentence he should get.

Back underway

Gardner is understood to have known the victim

Both prosecution and defence barristers have told our reporter that is understood Gardner probably knew the driver, but it is not known in what capacity. The 19-year-old driver didn’t give evidence at the trial or give a statement to police and Gardner didn’t say during the trial how he knew him.

Michael Halepas, Senior Crown Prosecutor at the CPS, said: “The violence that unfolded so suddenly in broad daylight on a busy Croydon street horrified members of the public.

“Joshua Gardner pulled a zombie knife out and used it to savagely smash the door of a vehicle in to get to the driver inside. Luckily for the driver who fled the scene, Gardner did not pursue him beyond the vehicle.

“The key evidence in this case was the dash-cam footage that captured the attack. Gardner denied that he intended to cause any harm, but using the strong video evidence supplied by a passing vehicle’s dash-cam, the prosecution was able to prove to jurors that he was lying. The jury was satisfied that Gardner had intended to use the zombie knife against the victim and not merely scare him.

“We recognise the scourge of serious knife crime on this city and are working hard to prosecute offenders.”

15:30KEY EVENT

Sentencing adjourned

Judge Dhir has adjourned the sentencing hearing until tomorrow (Tuesday, November 27).

She tells the court a probation officer will speak with Gardner and his mum and then feedback their views so different sentencing options can be considered.

We will be back in court tomorrow to bring you live updates from that hearing.

15:04KEY EVENT

'Positive signs Gardner can mature'

Mark Stevens, defending Gardner, told the court that the teenager’s oldest brother died when he was just 13 years old.

To make matters worse, at around the same time as this happened, Gardner’s other brother, who was also older than him, moved away.

Mr Stevens told the court that Gardner “knows his actions are so wrong he needs to be punished”.

“There are really positive signs he can mature and can give something back to the community,” he added.

Judhe Dhir said a probation officer had told her this morning that Gardner was a “quiet and young man”.

14:55

'You can see a stabbing motion towards the victim'

Kate Fortescue, prosecuting, briefly told the court this afternoon about the events of May 30.

She said: “In the video you can see the defendant get off his bike ... and hit a knife repeatedly on the driver’s window.”

She added: “The defendant smashed the passenger window and you can see his arm go through the window and you can see a stabbing motion towards the victim.”

Ms Fortescue didn’t tell the court of any reason why Gardner would do this.

Croydon MP raised concerns about level of violence after the video went viral

In the letter, which he posted on Twitter, Mr Reed said: “[On May 30] a cyclist in Croydon North pulled out a large knife and attempted to smash a car window to get at the driver. This is the latest in a long series of knife attacks across London, many of which have proved fatal.

“Footage of this terrifying incident has been widely circulated and many of my constituents are concerned that our police and public services lack the resources needed to prevent this kind of incident.”

Croydon North MP Steve Reed (Image: David Cook )

14:39

Gardner's mum has written a letter in support of her son

Judge Dhir reads a letter, to herself, from Gardner’s mother. The judge thanks his mother, who is in the public gallery, for writing it.

14:25

Gardner is in court

Gardner has been brought into the dock in court 3 at the Old Bailey and judge Anuja Dhir QC has arrived in the courtroom. She became the first non-white circuit judge to sit at the Old Bailey last year.

Gardner looks relaxed in the dock and is dressed all in grey, with black braided hair.

14:19

Good afternoon

Welcome to our live updates from the Old Bailey as 18-year-old Joshua Gardner is going to be sentenced in relation to the terrifying video which many of you will remember from earlier this year.

He was found guilty by a jury of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent and previously pleaded guilty to affray and being in possession of an offensive weapon. He will be sentenced for all offences.

Our reporter Sam Truelove is in court to bring you the latest.

The sentencing is taking place at the Old Bailey (Image: NIKLAS HALLE'N/AFP/Getty Images)